Steamed Gyoza / Broccoli

Song:  Sweet Dreams And Starlight

Artist:  David Nevue

Gyoza...

or as they are known as in the USA...Potstickers...

may be gotten frozen from almost any Asian market...

or...from Trader Joe's.

You may pan fry...

or steam them.

If you do not have a dedicated steamer set...

they are inexpensive...

and really are a necessity for a well turned out kitchen.

I had picked this particular one up at the Asian market near us.

I had gotten a large one...

as I knew I would like to steam more than one type of food at a time.

The lower water portion is large...

and will hold more than enough water to steam cook almost anything.

It is a double tier steamer.

Each steam basket easily holds over 2 lbs of food.

The steamer is often used in Asian cooking.

As I had to start the rice first...

we had extra time...

so, my mother and I had a couple of milk chocolate and macadamia nut wafers with coffee.

This is my mother's favorite coffee.

It is Vietnamese style coffee (really French style).

My mother made the coffee for us.

This particular hot water pot holds 4 liters...

has two temperature settings...

a child lock...

two ways to dispense...

and a blue LED for late night drinks.

In the stainless steel exterior...

it goes for only $50.00 on Amazon.

This is about one fifth the cost of so many others.

My mother enjoyed her cookies and coffee like a child would  :)

As we had to wait a little longer before I could start cooking...

as we were waiting on the rice to cook...

we just sipped our coffee and talked for a while.

I then started setting out the items we would be eating.

I had made these Reno Red Hots a few days ago.

I use one cup of crushed Korean red pepper for this size pickle container.

The pickling solution will easily last five or more sliced turnip batches.

As turnips are of the radish family...

 radishes and red peppers are a very healthful food combination.

These are our favorite pickles.

The rice was almost cooked...

so, we added 2 lbs of the frozen gyoza to the lower tier basket.

We then added the broccoli to the upper steam basket.

I then just kept the fire on high for 20 minutes

(5 minutes to get the water to a boil / 10 + 5 minutes cooking time 

(+ 5 minutes for our elevation of 5400 feet)).

We then made the gyoza sauce.

I like it at about 60 / 40 ratio of mustard to soy sauce.

When the gyoza is ready...

you then just drizzle the desired amount over the gyoza.

The broccoli was ready.

I had my mother start on her broccoli for a few minutes.

We then pulled out the gyoza.

We then got the rice bowled.

We then bowled the miso soup.

I then plated the gyoza.

This was my meal.

Notice the sauce on the gyoza.

My mother had a delicious meal.

I had asked her what she had a particular desire for on this night.

I usually give her a quick rundown of dishes.

When her face lights up on her desired meal...

I know we have that night's meal  :)

There was plenty of leftovers for my mother to easily warm up in the microwave

on a later day.

I had told my mother that our next night's meal would be breakfast.

As I usually scramble a dozen eggs...

cook a lb of sausage...

and bake 8 fluffy biscuits...

I told her to make sure to not eat after 2 PM...

as she will have to be really hungry for this meal.

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I highly recommend you look over the archives in this blog

on how to make Reno Red Hots.

These healthful...

and highly delicious pickles...

are inexpensive, easy to make...

and highly addictive.

They are sure to be a family favorite.

Thanksgiving At My Mother's

Song:  The Air That I Breathe

Group:  The Hollies

My mother had just gotten back from staying at my younger sister's house 

in California.

My younger sister will be staying at my mother's house until tomorrow.

My mother really enjoyed having someone stay with her 24 hours a day.

My younger sister took her clothes shopping...

so now, my mother has many more clothes to wear.

She would never buy clothes whenever I took her shopping.

I guess when women get together...

they feel more comfortable in their shopping.

My younger sister cooked a traditional Thanksgiving meal for my mother.

Alex and I spent a couple of hours at my mother's house for Thanksgiving.

My mother enjoyed the meal...

and she will be enjoying the leftovers for quite sometime.

We had sweet potato pie for dessert.

Alex then enjoyed time alone in my mother's relaxation room.

So long as Alex has his iPad...

and internet connection...

he is happy  :)

My mother enjoyed her Thanksgiving with some of her family with her.

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I had just come back from my mother's on the day after Thanksgiving.

My younger sister and my mother had been eating leftovers all day long.

As for me...

I won't be eating turkey much...

however...

I know Hana will be eating well until the turkey is gone  :)

A Super Thai Chicken Salad

Song:  Into The West

Piano cover artist:  Calikokat103

This super Thai Chicken Salad is a meal by itself.

These ingredients will make a meal for a family of five.

You will want to get your favorite Thai Peanut sauce for the dressing.

Put in your favorite salad greens.

Cut up the multi colored peppers and put them in.

Wash the tomatoes...

and place them in the mixing bowl.

We used 5 avocados.

My mother then washed the cutting board.

And then diced up one whole onion.

We used a whole rotisserie chicken.

They only cost $6 - $7 at almost any grocery store.

You simply cannot buy a whole chicken and make it yourself...

any cheaper...or any more delicious.

Simply shred the meat and place it into the mixing bowl.

All of the leftovers I fed to Hana.

She loves chicken night  :)

This was before the mixing.

And afterwards.

I baked some garlic bread.

This box of 8 slices goes for approximately $2.50 to $3.00.

I bowled the salad...

and waited for the bread to brown (about 5 minutes).

This was how much was left over.

We will finish it off on the morrow.

We added the dressing...

and stirred well.

We each had a large glass of this pomegranate juice with our meal.

My mother and I love good salads.

My mother had eaten all of her supper.

She can eat a lot when she is hungry.

And Hana finished off all of the chicken remainders...

with great relish.

Hana often sits like a lady when I feed her by hand  :)

Tomorrow...

I plan to steam some gyoza to go with the rest of the salad.

My mother is looking forwards to it.

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Large helpings of vegetables and fruits are essential for vibrant health.

This was just another way to make them delicious to consume.